Are you a Gemini or a Basilisk?

Gemini - the light-hearted, social butterflies of the zodiac.

If you belong to the sign of the twins, you are intellectually curious, quick-witted and playful. Friendly and outgoing, a Gemini is at ease in a variety of social situations and groups.

Bowling with your workmates? You're the one encouraging everyone else to join in. Karaoke at a bachelorette party? You're first up to the microphone, belting out an ABBA track. Find yourself at a dull dinner party? A Gemini is a person who finally gets everyone talking, breaking down those social barriers as you all tuck into the fondue.

Except, you weren't born under the sign of the twins for nothing.

There's a duality to your personality. You might ordinarily be gregarious and the life and soul of the party, but you also have a darker side. You're two people in one, and others aren't always sure which twin they're going to get. How dark? Well, let's put it this way: Depending on which astrological system you use, if you are a Gemini, you're also a murderous basilisk, or most prone to being possessed by the Lord Prince of Darkness himself, The Devil, or the most foul-tempered bird on the planet.

So, yeah - pretty dark.

Origin Stories

The Western astrological zodiac originated from the Babylonian zodiac. Given that so little physical evidence remains, it's impossible to say with certainty, but it's speculated that astrology first started to appear in the Sumerian period in the 3rd millennium BC. Astrology was one of two ways in which priests could interpret the intention of the gods, the other being by studying the livers of sacrificed animals (lovely).

How best to sum up this period? Well, if you've seen 'Ghostbusters' you'll remember Zuul, the Gatekeeper...

Zuul was a minion of Gozer, The Destructor (the word 'destructor' is a pretty big clue that he wasn't all sunshine and smiles). The shape-shifting, chaos-inclined Zuul was actually worshipped by ancient Hittites, Mesopotamians, and Sumerians. No, they didn't like to deify entities that were intent on bringing peace to the world; they preferred to kneel at the (metaphorical) altar of someone who enjoyed demonic possession and generally being a bit evil.

And that my friends, is dark. With an added shade of dark.

Too dark, as it turns out.

Although the actual figures of the Babylonian zodiac were slightly more cuddly than the likes of Zuul and Gozer, it was still all a bit too pagan for subsequent cultures, especially in light of the birth, and then growth, of organised religion. So, over the course of the next few thousand years, those Babylonian beings underwent a rewrite. Through repeated reinterpretation by - among others - the Greeks, and the Romans, we finally arrived at the Zodiac that we use today.

However, despite many cultures' best attempts, that pagan, ancient darkness was never fully eradicated. In fact, the more various societies tried to make the zodiac more palatable, the darker the alternative zodiacs became. And when it comes to Gemini, it's pretty black.

Here are my three favourite alternative renderings of The Twins. You might be good at parties, but as these entities prove - believe me - Geminis are also not to be messed with. Ever.

Baphomet

In the 17th century, in an attempt to both strengthen its position and fight off the challenge of reformers, the Catholic Church pushed the idea of demons to the very top of its agenda. These Satanic, ne-er do-wells had always been a cornerstone of the faith but now they were placed front and centre and used to spread fear into the hearts of people who were wavering in their faith.

In addition to being blamed for every scourge, whether it be plague or witchcraft, everyone was told to be extra vigilant in case they too fell under a demon's sway. Except, in a nice twist, you couldn't just be possessed by any old demon - you would get a specific demon depending on when in the year you had been born. In other words, your star sign indicated what demon would be most likely to take you over.

And if you're a Gemini, this meant Baphomet.

He's one of the biggies. Possibly even the biggest one of all. Many have him being the Devil himself. Every religion and every culture, has its own version of the Big Bad, though it's no surprise to find he first appeared back in Babylonian times. Eventually, he mutated into Baphomet. And, if you're a Gemini, this is the chap who will take you over if you don't go to church every Sunday.

Except there is a fundamental problem with this. Baphomet's elevation to Top Dog status was essentially Church propaganda. There is historical evidence that the Knight's Templar worshipped Baphomet. The Church, needing ammunition to curtail the Templar's powers, promoted this demon from being a supporting character into demon number one, thereby making the Templars seem eviler than they actually were. It worked and was one of the reasons the Knight's Templar was eventually brought to its knees.

However, in one sense, it doesn't matter whether he's the Boss or one of the henchmen - Baphomet is still a handful.

Like Gemini, Baphomet is a twin, representing the dual nature of humans. When he's good, he's very good: When he's evil, he's as bad as they come. As Geminis have the capacity for both kindness and cruelty, they're perfect fodder for Baphomet.

If you were writing a modern, Baphomet-infused horoscope, it might read as follows;

"This week will bring joy as well as hardship. Be aware to remain positive during those difficult times as, if you fall into anger and rumination, you may receive a visit from a mysterious, naked, goat-headed man who will encourage you to steal your workplace's petty cash, start trolling people on YouTube, and bring down modern society and replace it with a debauched, Bachiallaen dystopia that makes 'The Purge' look like 'Paw Patrol.' Also, buy a lottery ticket."

You've been warned.

The Basilisk

Given that duality seems to be the buzzword for everything Gemini-related, it's time to delve into the Black Zodiac. This is the alternative zodiac, and - in it - instead of being changeable twins, Gemini is a murderous basilisk, a supernatural reptile that can kill someone with a single glance. Nice.

Much like many things in this sphere, the origins of the Black Zodiac are shrouded in mystery and conflicting suppositions. All you really need to know is that it's the 'evil' version of our lighter version. Yep - things get dark again.

There are homicidal ghosts, angry crab-men, blood-thirsty centaurs, and giant scorpions with like to lay waste to entire cities. It's like 'The Dirty Dozen' reimagined by Guillermo del Toro. And a Gemini's dark side takes the form of the afore-mentioned reptile with the killer stare.

Thus, a contemporary horoscope might read;

"The next seven days will bring an array of professional challenges. Make an especial effort to maintain a sunny disposition at all times. If you let your mood drop, then there's a very good chance you will accidentally unleash your inner demonic serpent and kill everyone during that PowerPoint presentation. Also, call your mum."

The Peacock

Gemini has always been about twins. But, that doesn't mean necessarily having an evil flip-side that can take the form of a murderous demon or a killer reptile. Gemini can also simply be two entities. In the Egyptian horoscope, the Gemini constellation was identified with twin goats (which probably accounts for the later way in which Baphomet was later described).

However, in Arabian astrology, it was twin peacocks.

Now, I know what you're thinking - peacocks? How do they compare to the Devil and a basilisk? If you have to ask that question then you've never been attacked by this bird. They are bad-tempered and mean.

Peafowl, the family of birds to which peacocks belong, are aggressive, and crazily territorial birds. They will attack anyone who gets too close to their nest, and male peacocks (who keep a harem of peahens when mating) will attack other males if they so much as look at one of their partners. They might be pretty but they are angrier than The Hulk.

And that's the creature Geminis get;

"Your relationship will undergo a transformation this month. However, embrace these difficulties and resist the urge to stab anyone who is pleasant to your partner, or punch anyone who so much as looks at your kid. Also, look out for the number 11."

Peacocks - trust me, they're probably the worst of the three.

Angry birds... murderous reptiles... and an all-powerful demon. The duality of Gemini represented in just three examples. So, the next time someone born under the sign of the Twins tries to get that party going, play along. You really don't want them to unleash their darker side.

Because, if they're a Gemini, that could be a dangerous place to be.

Very, very dangerous.

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